Garantex operates as a cryptocurrency exchange based in Moscow. It facilitates trading of digital assets, including Bitcoin and Tether, with cash ruble deposits and withdrawals to Russian bank cards.
According to DL News, Russian cryptocurrency exchange Grinex announced last Wednesday that it would cease operations after suffering a cyberattack that resulted in the theft of over 1 billion rubles—approximately $13 million. The report states that Grinex had processed nearly $100 billion in trading volume for the sanctioned stablecoin A7A5 in 2025. Its shutdown is expected to weaken Russian companies’ ability to convert rubles into usable international currencies and deliver a severe blow to Russia’s shadow financial system designed to circumvent sanctions. Grinex was viewed as the successor to Garantex, which had previously been sanctioned and shut down. Both Grinex and Old Vector—the issuer of A7A5—were sanctioned in August 2025 by the United States, the European Union, and the United Kingdom.
According to The Block, Grinex—a Russia-linked cryptocurrency exchange—suspended withdrawals and trading on Thursday after suffering a hack reportedly worth approximately $15 million. Blockchain analytics firm Elliptic stated that the stolen funds consisted of USDT, which were subsequently moved across the Tron and Ethereum networks and swapped for TRX and ETH to reduce the risk of being frozen by Tether. Grinex said its wallet infrastructure was hit by a “large-scale cyberattack,” resulting in losses exceeding 1 billion rubles—approximately $13.1 million. Reports indicate Grinex is widely regarded as one of the successor platforms to sanctioned exchange Garantex, which U.S. authorities targeted last year for facilitating hundreds of millions of dollars in illicit fund flows.
According to DL News, Russian cryptocurrency exchange Grinex announced last Wednesday that it would cease operations after suffering a cyberattack that resulted in the theft of over 1 billion rubles—approximately $13 million. The report states that Grinex had processed nearly $100 billion in trading volume for the sanctioned stablecoin A7A5 in 2025. Its shutdown is expected to weaken Russian companies’ ability to convert rubles into usable international currencies and deliver a severe blow to Russia’s shadow financial system designed to circumvent sanctions. Grinex was viewed as the successor to Garantex, which had previously been sanctioned and shut down. Both Grinex and Old Vector—the issuer of A7A5—were sanctioned in August 2025 by the United States, the European Union, and the United Kingdom.
According to The Block, Grinex—a Russia-linked cryptocurrency exchange—suspended withdrawals and trading on Thursday after suffering a hack reportedly worth approximately $15 million. Blockchain analytics firm Elliptic stated that the stolen funds consisted of USDT, which were subsequently moved across the Tron and Ethereum networks and swapped for TRX and ETH to reduce the risk of being frozen by Tether. Grinex said its wallet infrastructure was hit by a “large-scale cyberattack,” resulting in losses exceeding 1 billion rubles—approximately $13.1 million. Reports indicate Grinex is widely regarded as one of the successor platforms to sanctioned exchange Garantex, which U.S. authorities targeted last year for facilitating hundreds of millions of dollars in illicit fund flows.